They are bound for a stroke of justice.
New Yorkers are brazenly reselling prescription diabetes and weight-loss drugs online through Facebook Marketplace — despite risking up to 15 years in prison for doing so.
The Post obtained numerous local Facebook listings for the GLP-1 semaglutide Ozempic, as well as the twin tirzapatides Mounjaro and Zepbound, using a basic one-word search of drug names.
“Mounjaro wanted 4 = $,” posted one person in lower Manhattan. Another user in the area is pushing four 5-milligram Mounjaro pens for $700 — recently marked down from $750 — with a photo of the box on the social media site.
Just across the Hudson River in Union County, a “month’s supply” of 2 milligrams of Ozempic is said to be available for $450.
Those looking for discounted dulaglutide — better known as Trulicity, also prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes — are invited to call a number in Upper Manhattan for “cash” negotiations.
The Post has contacted Meta for comment.
Criminal diversion of — or illegal resale of — prescription drugs in New York can carry sentences of up to 15 years behind bars and hefty fines.
Buyers risk being hit with a misdemeanor charge, but can also face jail time and fines.
Part of the incentive for black market customers — despite the obvious health risks and legal implications — has to do with the drugs’ reduced sticker price, an expert told The Post.
“A month’s supply of Mounjaro can cost between $1,000 and $1,200,” explained Dr. Gregory Dodell of Central Park Endocrinology.
Dodell cited past schemes that involved hairdressers selling drug samples out the back door of their business.
Desperation is another deciding factor.
Demand for the drugs has skyrocketed in 2024, thanks to their rapid weight-loss side effects — leading to well-documented shortages.
“When drugs are in short supply, desperate patients are more likely to look for drugs online,” the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy warned in May of both social media and online pharmacies.
“Furthermore, injectable weight loss drugs are often not covered by insurance, making some patients more willing to pay out of pocket…they often do not fully understand the risks of taking drugs sold illegally.”
Weighing the bad options
As well as more overt listings, there are more subversive ways to advertise, the pharmaceutical board warned, adding that “bad actors” have cornered the wild market.
“Although social platforms regularly remove illegal content, sellers use many tactics, such as misspellings and pseudonyms, to avoid detection by the platform’s automated compliance tools.”
Don’t even be fooled by association with a site known as Facebook Marketplace, warns Dr. Dodell.
“It’s basically the same as shopping on the street.”
This isn’t the first time Facebook has had an ugly connection to drug sales.
Earlier this year, the federal government began investigating its parent company Meta for possible sales of various drugs by users on both Facebook and Instagram.
The subpoenas were issued for “offensive drug content on Meta platforms and/or illegal drug sales through Meta platforms,” prosecutors said at the time.
But when it comes to desperate, illegal measures to get the drug, the rewards may not outweigh the risks.
Missing point
Don’t worry about breaking the law—there’s a huge medical downside to buying dubious resale items without knowing what you’re actually getting, according to Dr. Dodell.
“It’s not something you just need for a few weeks to lose weight and then stop it – for a number of reasons,” he said.
“Once people stop the medication, they tend to regain two-thirds of their weight, if not more,” he noted.
Patients should also be monitored while taking the medication, Dodell cautioned.
Those who buy online miss out on critical monitoring by a doctor who can spot some of the negative side effects associated with these drugs, such as osteoporosis, gallstones and muscle wasting, according to the endocrinologist.
In the short term, potentially life-threatening issues such as nausea and dehydration can also occur.
Another big concern is losing control over what you’re putting in your body. Even if it is topical medicine, the doses can be very high.
“God knows what volume they are actually selling. And who knows? You’re just getting it.”
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Image Source : nypost.com